Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Lenny Kaye Science Fiction Fanzine collection holds a significant number of sci-fi zines from the 1940s-1970s. Zines are typically independent and self published booklets popular in underground subcultures. The first zines were fanzines, started in the early 20th century by science fiction fans documenting the genre. This collection contains fanzines from the mid-20th century, collected by the musician Lenny Kaye. The fanzines document the active subculture surrounding science fiction, including fan fiction, convention news, and fan clubs. The collection holds zines produced as part of a number of amateur press associations, including the Spectator Amateur Press Society (SAPS), the Neffer Amateur Press Alliance (N'APA), and the Fantasy Amateur Press Association (FAPA). The collection is truly international in scope, with zines produced in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Japan and several European countries present.

Biographical Note

Lenny Kaye is an American musician and writer. He is best known for his work as a guitarist with the Patti Smith Group, and as the archivist/compiler for the American garage rock music compilation "Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era." Kaye was a collector and participant in the science fiction fanzine subculture as well.